Use of micronutrients in dairy cow diets in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic

Abstract

As known, natural forage plants are the main sources of micronutrients. The shortage of micronutrients in diets leads to metabolic disorders, gastrointestinal disorders, delayed feed digestion, decreased milk yield and impaired reproductive activity. Thus, the introduction of trace element salts of zinc, copper, manganese and iodine into the animal diets increases the biological nutritional value of the diet, increases productivity and quality. However, according to the data presented, the average milk yield of cows in the control group, although it showed some increase from the beginning to the end of the experiment, was always lower than the average milk yield of cows of groups 2 and 3. The average daily milk yield during 4 months of the experiment in group 3 was higher than in all other groups and was equal to 5.15 kg, in the 2nd group it was 4.28 kg, and in the 1st group - 3.54 kg. It should be noted that during the experimental period, each cow in the control group produced an average of 421.2 kg of milk, and in the 2nd trial group, 478.8 kg, i.e. by 57.6 kg more; and in the 3rd - 570 kg each cow, i.e. by 148.8 kg more than in the 1st (control) group and by 91.2 kg more than in the 2nd group. During the experimental period, the butterfat content in the milk of cows that received a mixture of micronutrients increased as compared to the preparatory period. In animals that received cobalt chloride during the experimental period (group 2), the butterfat content in milk during the experiment increased by 0.11%. The cows that did not receive any supplement produced milk with the lowest butterfat content. If we compare the results of the experimental period with the preparatory period, the butterfat content in the milk of control cows decreased by 0.03%.  Through experiments, we determined that in all feeds (rough, juicy and concentrated) under the conditions of the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, there were no micronutrients as cobalt, copper, manganese and iodine. Thus, in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic, animals receive with forages the amount of micronutrients that is less than the standard. In order to eliminate the deficiency of micronutrients in the forages, it is considered advisable to include microelements in animal diets. As a result, adding mixed salts of micronutrients to the diets of dairy cows leads to increased milk yields, live weight, and the percentage of butterfat and proteins in milk.